THE Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League has become the first Limestone Coast football league to cancel its 2020 season.
An executive meeting was held on Wednesday night, with delegates from all clubs present to vote on the fate of the competition.
The motion was put forward by the board to abandon the season and it was carried, resulting in the first cancellation since the KNTFL’s inception in 1993, when Tatiara first joined the then Kowree Naracoorte Football League.
In fact, KNTFL president Peter McLellan believes you would have to go back to the 1940’s during World War II – when the Kowree, Naracoorte and Tatiara were separate competitions – to find the last time a season had been abandoned.
With that considered, Wednesday’s decision was not made lightly.
“Everyone was in shock and silence and sadness that it was done, but for a myriad of reasons the season had been compromised,” McLellan said.
The main problem surrounding the viability of the season was the border restrictions which remain in place, impacting two clubs in particular.
“KL United are not allowed into the state at the moment and Border Districts is the same, half of their supporters are in Goroke so they cannot come in,” McLellan said.
“Victoria has not allowed crowds, but South Australia has got 500, so even if we could get started, KL would not be able to have a crowd.”
While those restrictions may be eased in the near future, McLellan said it was impossible to know when a decision had to be made.
“The border issues have just made it too hard,” McLellan said.
“We are a happy 11-club league and you have to do the right thing by everybody.”
McLellan said the announcement of a zero-payment cap for players may have been the cherry on the top for some clubs and in the end it all came down to providing players and fans with closure.
“People just wanted a yes or a no,” he said.
“This has been dragging on for so long and club presidents are over it – they have been getting hounded by all their supporters.”
Despite the solemn news, there is a beacon of light for the younger faces within the KNTFL.
The league is committed to running a junior competition in a shortened format, which is hoped to kick off in mid July.
“Every club will play each other once and a bit, with probably four home games,” McLellan said.
“By then the crowds should be pretty good and we can all go and watch that and support our kids.
“Hopefully by July the borders open and KL and Borders can share a senior colts team and KL has a junior colts on their own.
“It will be junior colts and senior colts playing on the same day.”
That will provide something to look forward to for the fans itching for some country football action, but for the senior competition it will be back to the drawing board for 2021.
McLellan believes there will still be protocols which will need to be followed next season, but the league will be better equipped to handle the situation.
“We know there is probably going to be more hygiene – which will be a good thing – going through canteens and bars, but we will be more prepared,” he said.
“We will be used to it by then and we’ll get around it.”
